Wildlife Conservation Department utilizes GPS to monitor Wild Elephants

Starting in Oyamaduwa, the initiative involves fitting GPS collars on elephants to monitor their movements and study migration routes. This effort seeks to reduce the ongoing human-elephant conflict, a significant problem in Sri Lanka.

The operation is a collaboration between wildlife officials, local residents, and the Sri Lanka Navy. According to surveys, elephants are a leading cause of crop damage, with daily incidents reported across the country.

As a solution, a program to relocate elephants to reserves began recently in Anuradhapura. However, locals report that the abrupt suspension of this process has worsened the issue, leaving several areas vulnerable to increased elephant activity.